The City Council considered cooperative endeavor agreements with the state for upgrades to senior centers and for replacement of fire hydrants.

Wendy Wingate asked for an implementation plan and a timeline for work on the senior centers; staff said the agreements are in hand with the state and that improvements (air conditioning, ductwork, ceiling tiles and meals programming) are included in project documents.

On hydrants, Acting Fire Chief Chris Vice said the city inventory includes roughly 1,100 hydrants and that about 60–65 had previously been recorded as out of service. The city has replaced at least 16 hydrants and reported the number of city‑owned hydrants out of service at roughly 30; some out‑of‑service hydrants belong to private properties or unincorporated areas and are the property owners' responsibility to repair. Chief Vice described workflow that coordinates contractors and inspectors and said the funding will help continue replacement work but that LDH approvals and hydrants without isolation valves could extend timelines for some locations.

Council also discussed a hazard‑mitigation cooperative endeavor for emergency generators and a joint‑service agreement for dispatching and ad valorem tax collection. For the generator/FEMA projects, staff said bids were recently issued for a wastewater‑plant generator and that FEMA funding covers part of the demolition and staging costs for other related projects.

Why it matters: Fire hydrant reliability is a public‑safety concern (chief noted high‑value hydrants near hospitals and the need to maintain a favorable PIA rating); senior‑center upgrades affect services to older residents. Funding from the state and FEMA will help address deferred maintenance and emergency‑response infrastructure.

Next steps: Council approved the cooperative agreements and staff said plans will be prepared for bid. Chief Vice and public‑works staff will continue to coordinate hydrant replacements and pursue required approvals; staff said they would provide more detailed schedules and cost estimates in follow‑up materials.